A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Director:

Charles Crichton
(more)

Writers:

John Cleese (story) and
Charles Crichton (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 July 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

A tale of murder, lust, greed, revenge, and seafood.

Plot:

In London, four very different people team up to commit armed robbery, then try to doublecross each other for the loot.

Plot Keywords:

Stuttering | Lawyer | Barrister | Dropout | Lovers Posing As Siblings

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

John Cleese	...	Archie Leach
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Wanda Gershwitz
Kevin Kline	...	Otto
Michael Palin	...	Ken Pile
Maria Aitken	...	Wendy
Tom Georgeson	...	Georges Thomason
Patricia Hayes	...	Mrs. Coady
Geoffrey Palmer	...	Judge
Cynthia Cleese	...	Portia (as Cynthia Caylor)
Mark Elwes	...	Customer in Jeweler's Shop
Neville Phillips	...	Manager of Jeweler's Shop
Peter Jonfield	...	Inspector Marvin
Ken Campbell	...	Bartlett
Al Ashton	...	Warder
Roger Hume	...	Locksmith
Roger Brierley	...	Davidson
Llewellyn Rees	...	Sir John
Michael Percival	...	Percival
Kate Lansbury	...	Magistrate
Robert Ian Mackenzie	...	Copper (as Robert Cavendish)
Andrew MacLachlan	...	Eebedee
Roland MacLeod	...	Vicar
Jeremy Child	...	Mr. Johnson
Pamela Miles	...	Mrs. Johnson
Tom Pigott Smith	...	Child Johnson (13)
Katherine John	...	Child Johnson (10)
Sophie Johnstone	...	Child Johnson (8)
Kim Barclay	...	Nanny
Sharon Twomey	...	1st Junior Barrister (Defence Counsel)
Patrick Newman	...	2nd Junior Barrister (Defence Counsel)
David Simeon	...	Clerk of Court (Old Bailey)
Imogen Bickford-Smith	...	Stenographer
Tia Lee	...	Junior Barrister (Prosecutor Counsel)
Robert Putt	...	Police Officer (Old Bailey)
Waydon Croft	...	1st Prison Officer
John Dixon	...	2nd Prison Officer
Anthony Pedley	...	Irate Driver
Robert McBain	...	Hotel Clerk
Clare McIntyre	...	Airline Employee
Charu Bala Chokshi	...	Indian Cleaner
Stephen Fry	...	Hutchison
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Bird	...	Clerk of the Magistrate's Court (uncredited)
Robert Goodman	...	Street thug (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Crichton
John Cleese		(uncredited)

Writing credits
John Cleese		(story) and
Charles Crichton		(story)
John Cleese		(written by)

Produced by
Steve Abbott	....	executive producer
John Cleese	....	executive producer
John Comfort	....	associate producer
Michael Shamberg	....	producer

Original Music by
John Du Prez

Cinematography by
Alan Hume

Film Editing by
John Jympson

Casting by
Priscilla John

Production Design by
Roger Murray-Leach

Art Direction by
John Wood

Set Decoration by
Stephanie McMillan

Costume Design by
Hazel Pethig

Makeup Department
Lynda Armstrong	....	makeup artist (as Lynda Armstrong-Lawlor)
Paul Engelen	....	makeup supervisor
Barry Richardson	....	key hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jonathan Benson	....	assistant director
Melvin Lind	....	second assistant director
David Skynner	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Leon Apsey	....	head of construction
Bruce Bigg	....	property master
Roy Evans	....	construction manager
Kevin Phipps	....	assistant art director
Brian Read	....	production buyer
Alfie Smith	....	stand-by property supervisor
Micky Swift	....	stand-by propman (as Mickey Swift)
Bill Stallion	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	sound editor
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chris Munro	....	sound recordist
Andrew Sissons	....	sound maintenance engineer
Colin Wood	....	boom operator
Garry Fiferman	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
George Gibbs	....	special effects supervisor
David Watson	....	special effects technician (as Dave Watson)
Terence J. Cox	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Alan Poole	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Alan Church	....	optical camera (uncredited)

Stunts
Romo Gorrara	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Neil Binney	....	camera operator
Bob Bremner	....	gaffer (as Bobby Bremner)
Graham Hall	....	clapper loader
Simon Hume	....	focus puller
David James	....	still photographer
Bill Thornhill	....	best boy
Jimmy Waters	....	grip
Jimmy Worley	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Stephen Cornish	....	wardrobe assistant (as Steve Cornish)
Jenny Hawkins	....	wardrobe assistant
Ray Usher-Cooper	....	wardrobe master (as Ray Usher)

Editorial Department
Kevin Phelan	....	unit projectionist: Mercury Theatres, London
William Webb	....	assistant film editor
David Barrett	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Jonathan Lucas	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Peter Holt	....	music editor
André Jacquemin	....	music producer
Dick Lewzey	....	orchestral recording
John Williams	....	musician: solo guitar
John Du Prez	....	conductor (uncredited)
George Hamer	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Mark White	....	production driver
Roy Clarke	....	driver: Jamie Lee Curtis (uncredited)

Other crew
Andy Birmingham	....	production accountant
Peter Byck	....	assistant: Mr. Shamberg, USA
Sophie Clarke-Jervoise	....	assistant: Dr. Cleese
Pauline Clift	....	animal supplier
Robert Conway	....	legal advisor
Nick Daubeny	....	location manager: Oxford
Diana Dill	....	continuity
Bill Edwards	....	unit publicist
Yvonne Heeks	....	assistant accountant
Ralph Kamp	....	production assistant
Christopher Knowles	....	assistant location manager: London
William Lang	....	location manager
Liz Lehmans	....	production assistant
Ian Miles	....	financial controller
Janine Modder	....	production coordinator (as Janine Lodge)
Alexandra Stone	....	assistant to producer
Mark Birmingham	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Yvonne Eastmond	....	assistant production accountant (uncredited)
Richard Morrison	....	title designer (uncredited)
Kimberley Vashiell	....	choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Prominent Features
• Star Partners Limited Partnership

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1988) (worldwide) (all media)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1991) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Columbus Film (1989) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Distribution Company (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1989) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1989) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1988) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1989) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (France) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Italy) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vidéo (1997) (France) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vidéo (1999) (France) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• British Airways  special thanks
• Damson Studios  title sequence
• Lee Electrics  lighting
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• London Independent Players  orchestra (uncredited)
• Plume  titles
• Redwood Recording Studios  music produced at
• Studios CTS  music recorded at
• Twickenham Film Studios  re-recording facilities
• Wet Pets  fishes provided by

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | Italian | Russian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:18 | New Zealand:PG | Spain:T | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:18A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | Ireland:15 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Clerkenwell Green, Clerkenwell, London, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

John Cleese claims that this is Charles Crichton's movie. He merely took a co-director credit to reassure studio execs because they were not sure Crichton could direct comedy.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: While Ken is on the phone with George making final arrangements, a camera shadow falls across him.

Quotes:

Otto: So the old lady's gonna m-m-m-meet with an accident eh K-K-K-K-Ken?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: (#26.60)" (2009)

something's fishy (in a good way)

Portraying a heist gone awry, "A Fish Called Wanda" goes all out in every way possible. Maybe the whole thing is little more than an excuse for a bunch of silly situations, but they have some great ones here. Whether it's John Cleese's dance, Kevin Kline's rips at England, Michael Palin's stuttering, or Jamie Lee Curtis's deadpan performance, they know how to do everything here. I can't describe how funny the movie is; you just have to see it. And you may very well die laughing - or if nothing else, you'll want to take a trip to England. Kevin Kline definitely deserved his Oscar. And of course, the cast teamed up again for the equally funny (maybe even better) "Fierce Creatures". This is a comedy classic in every way.

Oh, and in case Kevin Kline is reading this: Happy birthday! You're my favorite actor!